Deals
Universal Pictures has acquired the rights to Britney Spears' bestselling memoir ‘The Woman In Me’ in a deal reportedly worth eight figures, which is reported to include rights to use Spears' music in the film. Jon M Chu, director of ‘Crazy Rich Asians’ will develop and direct the biopic, while Marc Platt, producer of ‘La La Land’ and Chu's collaborator on ‘Wicked’, is also involved in the project. Spears confirmed her participation on social media, saying, "Excited to share with my fans that I've been working on a secret project with #MarcPlatt. He's always made my favorite movies … stay tuned."
B-Unique has launched a new independent label called Artist Theory in partnership with former Parlophone executives Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish. The label has already signed several artists, including UK singer Sam Ryder and emerging acts H.LLS and Emily Jeffri. "The label's philosophy is to sign culturally vibrant and diverse artists early in their careers and use our experience to nurture and develop their talent into globally successful artists," Burgess and Melhuish explain. Mark Lewis, co-founder of B-Unique, adds: "Launching a label with Nick and Jack is a new, dynamic development for B-Unique. They both have incredible track records and together with our understanding of how to make it through 20 plus years of being a success driven indie, Artist Theory really is an exciting proposition."
K-pop giant SM Entertainment has unveiled Dear Alice, its first British boy group. The five-member group consists of Blaise Noon, Dexter Greenwood, James Sharp, Olly Quinn and Reese Carter, aged 19-23. Dear Alice was formed through a collaboration between SM Entertainment, BBC, and Moon & Back Media for the six-part reality series ‘Made in Korea: The K-Pop Experience’, set to air on BBC One and iPlayer later this month. "This collaboration will yield exceptional content that will captivate pop music fans, not only in the UK, but worldwide," says Daniel Jang, CEO of SM Entertainment.
Appointments
Big Loud Records has promoted Jess Anderson to Senior Director Of Media, effective immediately. Anderson, who joined the label in 2021 and helped establish its internal publicity department in 2022, has worked with the Big Loud roster since late 2018, leading campaigns for artists including Morgan Wallen, HARDY and ERNEST. "Jess continues to remain a powerful force in spearheading our publicity department," say Big Loud CEO Seth England and SVP Of Marketing Candice Watkins.
Labels, Publishing & Distribution
Believe has reported revenue growth of 14.1% to €474.1 million ($511.9 million) for the first half of 2024. The Paris-based music company, which provides distribution and artist services, saw strong performance in its Premium Solutions division (up 13.5%) and Automated Solutions arm TuneCore (up 23.4%). However, Believe posted an operating loss of €7 million, largely due to €7.3 million in expenses related to its ongoing privatisation process. CEO Denis Ladegaillerie notes that "ad-funded streaming monetisation remained weak, notably in Asia".
Bryan Adams has launched independent label Bad Records with a double A-side single release in partnership with Platoon. The digital and vinyl release features two songs Adams co-wrote for Kiss in 1982. "The idea at the moment is the label is the home to the music I'm making, and if all goes well there is always the possibility it could expand to other artists," says Adams.
Legal
Strife between members of rock dinosaurs Journey as keyboardist Jonathan Cain is suing guitarist Neal Schon over alleged extravagance during the band’s current 50th anniversary tour. The lawsuit, filed in Delaware's Chancery Court, claims Schon maxed out a $1 million credit card limit, exceeded hotel allowances and chartered private jets at the band's expense. "The band's actual onstage performance is, at the moment, one of the only aspects of the business that has not suffered," Cain's lawsuit states.
K-pop star G-Dragon, former member of BIGBANG, has acquired trademark rights to his stage name from YG Entertainment. The transfer allows G-Dragon (real name Kwon Ji-yong) to use G-Dragon and GD freely after ending his seventeen year partnership with YG in December 2023. "The trademarks for G-Dragon and GD have been transferred to the artist himself," a YG Entertainment representative confirms. Now signed with Galaxy Corporation, G-Dragon is preparing for a musical comeback later in 2024, though his agency states, "The exact date has not yet been determined."
Joshua Jaramillo, a music producer, has sued the estate of late rapper Juice WRLD over alleged unpaid royalties for the 2021 song ‘Girl Of My Dreams’. Jaramillo claims he is owed a 5% ownership stake and 1% of royalties for his work on the track, which appeared on Juice WRLD's posthumous 2021 album ‘Fighting Demons’. The lawsuit, filed in Los Angeles court on 31 Jul, seeks unspecified damages and a full accounting of the song's earnings. This marks the second royalty-related legal challenge for Juice WRLD's estate in the last year, following an October 2023 lawsuit over another track from the same posthumous album.
Skylar Gudasz, a North Carolina songwriter, has voluntarily dismissed her copyright infringement lawsuit against French Montana and Sony Music. The suit, filed in August, alleged that Montana's song ‘Blue Chills’ sampled Gudasz's ‘Femme Fatale’ without finalising a payment deal. Gudasz claimed she was offered $8000 plus royalties for the use of her music in May 2022, prior to the release of Montana's album ‘Montega’, but never received a signed agreement or payment. The court filing indicates all parties have agreed to end the litigation, with Gudasz waiving her right to file similar claims in the future.
Digital
Apple has intensified pressure on Chinese tech giants Tencent and ByteDance to close payment loopholes in their popular apps WeChat and Douyin (TikTok's Chinese counterpart). The iPhone maker is demanding changes to prevent mini-app creators from circumventing Apple's 30% App Store commission by directing users to external payment systems. In May, Apple warned Tencent it might reject WeChat updates unless certain payment links were removed. Apple also requested Tencent disable in-game messaging features that could be used for payments, which Tencent has resisted. Similarly, in June, Apple informed ByteDance that new Douyin updates would not be accepted unless comparable loopholes were addressed. An Apple spokesperson cited company guidelines, stating that "the sale of all digital goods must go through its system."
Roland Corporation has established Roland Future Design Lab, a new R&D group led by Paul McCabe, SVP Of Research And Innovation. The lab is tasked with driving music technology innovation and will explore emerging technologies like AI, Web3 and virtual reality to prototype innovative music creation experiences. McCabe says, "We have entered one of the most exciting and dynamic moments in the history of creativity, where many new technologies are reshaping how we compose, produce, perform and enjoy music." Roland CEO Masahiro Minowa adds: "The introduction of Roland Future Design Lab showcases our commitment to this deeply mindful approach by allowing us to stay ahead of trends in a rapidly evolving industry."
The Fairly Trained initiative has introduced stricter certification standards for AI music platforms. The non-profit now requires certified companies to disclose which elements of their AI architecture are certified, aiming to increase transparency for users. Generative music platform Jen and audio tool company Kits AI are the first to receive the new certification. "We believe that this prioritisation not only adheres to responsible practices but also positions models to be trusted and widely adopted," says Jen Co-Founder and CEO Shara Senderoff.
Google is developing a Spotify extension for its Gemini AI assistant, following its recent YouTube Music integration, according to findings by Android Authority. This move could expand Gemini's music streaming capabilities beyond Google's own services, allowing users to control Spotify playback via voice commands. The feature is still in development and not yet available to users. If implemented, it would mark Spotify as the first third-party music service integrated with Gemini.
Live
Broadwick Live has announced DRUMSHEDS' third season, featuring over 20 shows and 100+ artists from September to December 2024. The 15,000-capacity London venue will host events by DEFECTED, RINSE, The Hydra and others across its three club rooms. "When we launched DRUMSHEDS last year the ethos was to create a musical identity that represented the diversity of those following Broadwick Live's projects so far," says Ajay Jarayam, Head Of Music at Broadwick Live, adding “Our partners are collectively responsible for shaping global music culture today."
Garbage have cancelled all remaining 2024 tour dates due to an injury Shirley Manson sustained during their recent European tour, requiring surgery and rehabilitation. The band announced yesterday, "It is with great regret that we announce the cancellation of all our remaining dates for the rest of the year... This is not a decision that we have taken lightly." Manson adds: "No one is more crushed about this than I am. You know I would push through if I could." The cancellations affect several major festival appearances, including Ohana Fest and HFStival.
An outbreak of valley fever, a potentially deadly fungal infection, has been linked to California festival Lightning In A Bottle, with three attendees hospitalised. The California Department Of Public Health has identified five cases connected to the event, which took place from 22-27 May at Buena Vista Lakein Kern County, and drew around 20,000 people. "We prioritise the health and safety of all our patrons," festival organisers state, noting they are working with health officials.
Artist News
Chance The Rapper has announced an immersive art experience in Washington, DC on 8 Aug, following successful events in Chicago, Atlanta and New Orleans. The ‘Writings On The Wall’ show, featuring unreleased music from the artist, will take place at an undisclosed location revealed to ticketholders prior to the event.
Prince has been posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame following a 40th anniversary screening of ‘Purple Rain’ at Minneapolis' Target Centre. The late musician was elected for induction in 2013, but SHOF policy requires personal attendance at the annual gala. SHOF President & CEO Linda Moran explains, "He reached out at the end of 2015 and said how important the award was to him and that the June 2016 ceremony could work. We planned that it would be unannounced and a surprise; but unfortunately Prince passed two months beforehand in April." Prince's sister, Sharon L. Nelson, accepted the award on his behalf, stating: "This is the award he wanted more than any other in life - to be known as a great songwriter."
A new Hulu documentary will explore a catfishing scheme that targeted Tegan And Sara fans. ‘Fanatical: The Catfishing Of Tegan And Sara’ investigates how Tegan Quin's hacked identity was used to defraud fans in 2011. Directed by Erin Lee Carr, the film uncovers new victims and suspects. Tegan And Sara announced the TV show, which will premiere in October, in a post on social media saying, "A documentary about a terrifying situation our band has been dealing with for sixteen years will hit Hulu!"
Aerosmith may produce new music despite their ongoing farewell tour, guitarist Joe Perry has revealed. "There's definitely a possibility, but at the minute we're looking at the set for the tour and the songs we can play," Perry told Rock Candy magazine. The band will resume their Peace Out tour in September after postponing due to Steven Tyler's vocal cord injury last year. Perry notes they are also "remixing some of the early stuff and finding some interesting outtakes" for potential release.
Other industry news & events
US collecting society the Mechanical Licensing Collective says that it has received widespread support during the Register of Copyrights' periodic review of its designation. The organisation says that numerous songwriters, publishers and industry organisations filed public comments backing its continued role in administering mechanical licences in the US. The National Music Publishers' Association (NMPA) says, "NMPA fully supports the redesignation of the Mechanical Licensing Collective. Since its initial designation in 2018, the MLC has worked tirelessly to develop its capabilities and build the administrative entity conceived in the MMA." The review, mandated by the Music Modernization Act every five years, concluded its public comment period on 28 Jun 2024.
UK radio group Global has reported record audience figures for Q2 2024, reaching 28.6 million weekly listeners across its brands. The company's share of UK commercial radio hit 26.5%, with 277 million hours of listening. Heart reached 12.8 million weekly listeners, while Capital achieved 9.1 million. Ashley Tabor-King, Global's Founder & Executive President, states: "The ease of connected listening on smart speakers and quality apps like our own Global Player - is helping to fuel growth, alongside consistent, innovative, quality content."
Tame Impala's Kevin Parker launched electronic instruments company Telepathic Instruments at the end of June. After initial cryptic teasers on social media and a sparse website, the company has now revealed its first product in a video. The teaser shows a compact synthesiser with a one-octave keyboard, jog wheels and an oscilloscope-like display. Discussing his approach to synths, Parker previously stated, "I've got a rack of keyboards close to where I sit and whatever is on that rack gets used. If I have to think too much about what synth I have to use for a part I'm recording, then the inspiration is gone."
Releases & Tours
Nicole Moudaber has collaborated with House Of Molly on new single 'Slap Back'.
A$AP Rocky has released new track ‘Highjack’ featuring Jessica Pratt, from forthcoming new album ‘Don't Be Dumb’.
The Offspring have released new single ‘Light It Up’ from upcoming album ‘Supercharged’, which is due on 11 Oct.
Illuminati Hotties has posted new single ‘The L’.
Jake Blount is collaborating with bassist and composer Mali Obomsawin on a new album called ‘symbiont’, which will be released on 27 Sep by Smithsonian Folkways. From it, this is ‘My Way's Cloudy’ featuring Joe Rainey.
Here's new Big Sean track ‘On up’.
George Daniel, drummer in The 1975, has shared his debut solo single ‘Screen Cleaner’.
Grimes has remixed Sophie Powers’ ‘Obsessed’ and that remix has been released.